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Optional topics play a pivotal role in the IB Psychology syllabus, as the examination on these topics contributes significantly to your final grade. Choosing the right topics is essential to achieving your best results. In this post, we’ll explore all seven options to help you make an informed decision.
IB Psychology Options
The IB Psychology syllabus offers 4 option topics:
- Option 1: Abnormal psychology
- Option 2: Developmental psychology
- Option 3: Health psychology
- Option 4: Psychology of human relationships
SL students must pick one option while HL students study two options.
As already mentioned, selecting the right optional topics is essential, as they have a major impact on your overall grade. Paper 2, which focuses exclusively on these optional topics, accounts for 25% of the final grade at SL and 20% at HL.
The best way to choose the right options is to simply choose the options that you find most interesting. It will be much easier for you to study them and perform well if you find the information genuinely interesting. Below is a break-down of each theme and what it covers to help you decide:
Option 1: Abnormal psychology
This option focuses on fostering the understanding and ability to diagnose and treat mental health conditions. In this topic, students explore the causes of abnormal behavior, and how disorders are treated. Students will learn how biological, cognitive, and sociocultural factors shape mental health, and consider ethical issues involved in studying this subject. The option also examines how ideas of "normal" and "abnormal" vary over time and across cultures, which impacts diagnosis and treatment. Disorders covered include anxiety, depression, OCD, trauma-related disorders, and eating disorders. This option is ideal for those interested in mental health or those considering careers in psychology, psychiatry, or mental health advocacy.
In this topic, you will cover the following topics:
- factors influencing diagnosis
- etiology of abnormal psychology
- treatment of disorders
Option 2: Developmental psychology
This option focuses on how and why people’s behavior and thinking evolve over time. It covers the influences on cognitive and social development, how individuals form their identity, and how people develop as learners. You’ll explore how different factors shape development and examine how experiences in early life can impact later outcomes. You will also investigate why some people are more affected by their experiences than others. This topic is highly suitable for those who want to better understand how early experiences shape who we become.
In this topic, you will cover the following topics:
- infleunes on cognitive and social development
- developing an identity
- developing as a learner
Option 3: Health psychology
This option looks at how our choices and habits affect our health and why people sometimes make unhealthy decisions even when they know the risks. You'll explore what influences health, learn about common health challenges, and discover ways to encourage healthier lifestyles. It covers how our biology, thoughts, and social environment work together to shape our health, while also considering the sensitive and ethical issues involved. You will explore the psychology behind stress, addiction, obesity, or chronic pain. This option is ideal if you’re interested in understanding the psychological and societal factors behind health behaviours and ways in which issues such as stress or addiction can be tackled.
In this topic, you will cover the following topics:
- determinants of health
- health problems
- promoting health
Option 4: Psychology of human relationships
This option explores human relationships. You'll learn about how things like hormones, thought processes, and cultural beliefs shape the way we relate to others. You'll learn about social identity, the influence of culture, and ways to build positive relationships while minimizing conflict and violence. This option is ideal if you’re fascinated by how and why people connect, interact, and form relationships. It’s especially valuable for students interested in fields like counselling, human resources, or any career that involves understanding and improving relationships.
In this topic, you will cover the following topics:
- personal relationships
- group dynamics
- social responsibility
We hope you found this post helpful. For more useful materials associated with the IB check out the wide variety of IA, EE and TOK exemplars available at Clastify and other guides available on our blog.
Optional topics play a pivotal role in the IB Psychology syllabus, as the examination on these topics contributes significantly to your final grade. Choosing the right topics is essential to achieving your best results. In this post, we’ll explore all seven options to help you make an informed decision.
IB Psychology Options
The IB Psychology syllabus offers 4 option topics:
- Option 1: Abnormal psychology
- Option 2: Developmental psychology
- Option 3: Health psychology
- Option 4: Psychology of human relationships
SL students must pick one option while HL students study two options.
As already mentioned, selecting the right optional topics is essential, as they have a major impact on your overall grade. Paper 2, which focuses exclusively on these optional topics, accounts for 25% of the final grade at SL and 20% at HL.
The best way to choose the right options is to simply choose the options that you find most interesting. It will be much easier for you to study them and perform well if you find the information genuinely interesting. Below is a break-down of each theme and what it covers to help you decide:
Option 1: Abnormal psychology
This option focuses on fostering the understanding and ability to diagnose and treat mental health conditions. In this topic, students explore the causes of abnormal behavior, and how disorders are treated. Students will learn how biological, cognitive, and sociocultural factors shape mental health, and consider ethical issues involved in studying this subject. The option also examines how ideas of "normal" and "abnormal" vary over time and across cultures, which impacts diagnosis and treatment. Disorders covered include anxiety, depression, OCD, trauma-related disorders, and eating disorders. This option is ideal for those interested in mental health or those considering careers in psychology, psychiatry, or mental health advocacy.
In this topic, you will cover the following topics:
- factors influencing diagnosis
- etiology of abnormal psychology
- treatment of disorders
Option 2: Developmental psychology
This option focuses on how and why people’s behavior and thinking evolve over time. It covers the influences on cognitive and social development, how individuals form their identity, and how people develop as learners. You’ll explore how different factors shape development and examine how experiences in early life can impact later outcomes. You will also investigate why some people are more affected by their experiences than others. This topic is highly suitable for those who want to better understand how early experiences shape who we become.
In this topic, you will cover the following topics:
- infleunes on cognitive and social development
- developing an identity
- developing as a learner
Option 3: Health psychology
This option looks at how our choices and habits affect our health and why people sometimes make unhealthy decisions even when they know the risks. You'll explore what influences health, learn about common health challenges, and discover ways to encourage healthier lifestyles. It covers how our biology, thoughts, and social environment work together to shape our health, while also considering the sensitive and ethical issues involved. You will explore the psychology behind stress, addiction, obesity, or chronic pain. This option is ideal if you’re interested in understanding the psychological and societal factors behind health behaviours and ways in which issues such as stress or addiction can be tackled.
In this topic, you will cover the following topics:
- determinants of health
- health problems
- promoting health
Option 4: Psychology of human relationships
This option explores human relationships. You'll learn about how things like hormones, thought processes, and cultural beliefs shape the way we relate to others. You'll learn about social identity, the influence of culture, and ways to build positive relationships while minimizing conflict and violence. This option is ideal if you’re fascinated by how and why people connect, interact, and form relationships. It’s especially valuable for students interested in fields like counselling, human resources, or any career that involves understanding and improving relationships.
In this topic, you will cover the following topics:
- personal relationships
- group dynamics
- social responsibility
We hope you found this post helpful. For more useful materials associated with the IB check out the wide variety of IA, EE and TOK exemplars available at Clastify and other guides available on our blog.
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